| Light Source- Tungsten and halogen lights are too hot for live samples. Fluorescent or LED lights provide cool illumination so you do not damage the sample from too much heat.
Light Control- Sperm are easier to see with low light levels. To be able to see sperm clearly you must be able to adjust the light intensity.
Disk diaphragms consist of a disk with holes, or apertures, of various sizes. To adjust the light you rotate the disk diaphragm to move an appropriately sized aperture into the optical path between the light source and the stage.
Iris diaphragms control the diameter of the beam of light and provide continuous light adjustment. An iris diaphragm consists of thin overlapping plates that are adjusted to change the diameter of the opening.
Magnification- All Kokopelli Technologies microscopes include 40X, 100X, and 400X magnification. The Model 22 and the DC-128 include a 100X objective lens for 1000X magnification.
Focus- Most Kokopelli Technologies microscopes feature both coarse and fine focus controls. It is very convenient to use the coarse focus control to get close and then use the fine focus knob to sharpen up the focus. To minimize its cost the Model 7 has only a coarse focus.
Condenser Lens- The condenser lens is mounted in the microscope stage. It focuses the light on the sample and matches the numerical aperture (NA) of the highest power objective lens. The spiral focus mount allows you to move the Abbe condenser closer to or further from the stage. When used with the iris diaphragm these controls allow you to optimize brightness, evenness of illumination, and contrast for a truly superior image.
X-Y Control- This often called a graduated or mechanical stage. It allows you to move the microscope slide by turning knobs. It is much easier, and far more precise, to move the slide around with an X-Y control rather than trying to nudge it with your fingers. You cannot mount a mechanical stage on the Model 5, 5-L, or 7. The Model 10 and 20 have drilled and tapped holes in the stage so you can easily add a mechanical stage. |
